college for average students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I too stress out when I read DCUMs or website stories like on college data. Those kids appear to have it all together - outgoing personality - drive - clear path etc...

http://www.collegedata.com/cs/content/content_magarticle_tmpl.jhtml?articleId=30075

http://www.collegedata.com/cs/content/content_magarticle_tmpl.jhtml?articleId=30077

DD is shy and although entering 9th grade in September, will probably have a low 3.X GPA based on her 6-8th grade grades at her 6-12 grade school. I worry a lot for her as she has executive functioning, organizational and time management challenges.

Two things she has going for her is that DH and I both have Masters degrees so we know the process and she will not be restricted by cost or financial aid as she won't qualify.

My son has similar issues. We focused his college search on Colleges that Change Lives schools and he will be a freshman at his first-choice college this fall, with a big merit scholarship.

IMO, kids with EF issues are best served by schools with small classes, accessible professors, and accessible tutoring and other one-on-one services.

Thank you so much and best of luck to your son! DO you mind sharing his stats?

His GPA was 3.3 unweighted, 4.05 weighted.

ACT was 31 composite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What was his tuition at that small (presumably private) liberal arts college? With enough money, the worst student can go to college. I am thrilled your nephew did well and that the school was a good fit. I was also an average student who blossomed in college. However, most people don't have the $100k to send their average kid to a school like that. Just because a kid is accepted, doesn't mean he should go there. Even if it's a great school it's a mistake to go into that much debt or allow your kid to go into deep debt to attend the expensive private school.

Don't know how recently you've looked at prices of small private liberal arts colleges in the Midwest!!

You'll need about $250K to send your little snowflake to one of those charming colleges! $100K will pay for a year and a little more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the OP. Thanks for the interesting array of responses. I was expecting to get flamed and was heartened by many who seem to agree that being a B average kid in high school isn't the end of the world. I realize that not every kid can afford full freight for college, BTW. There are state colleges for low stats kids too. Think St. Mary's in MD, Frostburg or Christopher Newport. There are also private schools known to give a lot aid even to B students.

I applied to colleges a million years ago (1993) and even with a 3.3 from a top private HS, I was waitlisted at St. Mary's. I even had relatives who went there. I got into Towson, Frostburg and Salisbury though.

My DD's best friend, 3.4 average, was rejected by St. Mary's. I don't think it's quite as easy to get into as it once was. It's an honors college, so they have a certain cutoff gpa, I'd expect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was his tuition at that small (presumably private) liberal arts college? With enough money, the worst student can go to college. I am thrilled your nephew did well and that the school was a good fit. I was also an average student who blossomed in college. However, most people don't have the $100k to send their average kid to a school like that. Just because a kid is accepted, doesn't mean he should go there. Even if it's a great school it's a mistake to go into that much debt or allow your kid to go into deep debt to attend the expensive private school.

Don't know how recently you've looked at prices of small private liberal arts colleges in the Midwest!!

You'll need about $250K to send your little snowflake to one of those charming colleges! $100K will pay for a year and a little more.

I'd be able to take your post more seriously if it wasn't dripping with condescension and snark. Also, those small LAC often award scholarships and financial aid in excess of what's offered at a state school. Not saying it's the right choice for everyone, but your tone isn't helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP
I'm genuinely curious. Whad the name of the college?

The OP has respectfully declined that information (most likely there are nasty posters who would ridicule the school because it's not an Ivy or other).

You have asked enough times and been given the answer. Live with it.

Different posters asked. What's the big secret? Might be helpful to know which small midwest LAC can have such a positive effect on an "average student." Many of us have kids like this.

I'm not going to answer, however just check out Colleges that Change Lives. There are many small LACs for average students listed in the book and on the CTCL website.

~OP

+1
Look at Colleges that Change Lives website. The colleges are all there. Many are in the midwest: Wooster, Earlham, Denison, Kalamazoo, Ohio Wesleyan, among others. I know two kids who went to Earlham, which really did change their lives. Both had a wonderful time at the school, blossomed and did very well. One is at a top 10 law school now. Some kids need more time to get focused. These schools are great for kids like these.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was his tuition at that small (presumably private) liberal arts college? With enough money, the worst student can go to college. I am thrilled your nephew did well and that the school was a good fit. I was also an average student who blossomed in college. However, most people don't have the $100k to send their average kid to a school like that. Just because a kid is accepted, doesn't mean he should go there. Even if it's a great school it's a mistake to go into that much debt or allow your kid to go into deep debt to attend the expensive private school.

Don't know how recently you've looked at prices of small private liberal arts colleges in the Midwest!!

You'll need about $250K to send your little snowflake to one of those charming colleges! $100K will pay for a year and a little more.

I'd be able to take your post more seriously if it wasn't dripping with condescension and snark. Also, those small LAC often award scholarships and financial aid in excess of what's offered at a state school. Not saying it's the right choice for everyone, but your tone isn't helpful.

Geeze, calm yourself. It was neither condescension nor snark! If anything I'm appalled at the OUTRAGEOUS COST of these cute little schools!! They ought to cost $25k per year, tops! PP's assumption was correct, but she was about 20 years out of date. And BTW, I'd love to send my kids to one of these schools, but I can't afford it. Even with merit aid. The price of private schools is completely out of control. I predict many of these smaller colleges will go out of business. The Ivies can raise their prices as high as they want, they'll always have people fighting for places, but small, less competitive LACs are already scrambling to find enough kids to fill their seats, which is why many offer large merit aid packages. But even with merit aid, these schools are $10K to $20K more expensive than in-state tuition at a public university. If you've got the cash, you can send your B or even C student to one of these colleges. I don't and can't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was his tuition at that small (presumably private) liberal arts college? With enough money, the worst student can go to college. I am thrilled your nephew did well and that the school was a good fit. I was also an average student who blossomed in college. However, most people don't have the $100k to send their average kid to a school like that. Just because a kid is accepted, doesn't mean he should go there. Even if it's a great school it's a mistake to go into that much debt or allow your kid to go into deep debt to attend the expensive private school.

Don't know how recently you've looked at prices of small private liberal arts colleges in the Midwest!!

You'll need about $250K to send your little snowflake to one of those charming colleges! $100K will pay for a year and a little more.

I'd be able to take your post more seriously if it wasn't dripping with condescension and snark. Also, those small LAC often award scholarships and financial aid in excess of what's offered at a state school. Not saying it's the right choice for everyone, but your tone isn't helpful.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was his tuition at that small (presumably private) liberal arts college? With enough money, the worst student can go to college. I am thrilled your nephew did well and that the school was a good fit. I was also an average student who blossomed in college. However, most people don't have the $100k to send their average kid to a school like that. Just because a kid is accepted, doesn't mean he should go there. Even if it's a great school it's a mistake to go into that much debt or allow your kid to go into deep debt to attend the expensive private school.

Don't know how recently you've looked at prices of small private liberal arts colleges in the Midwest!!

You'll need about $250K to send your little snowflake to one of those charming colleges! $100K will pay for a year and a little more.

I'd be able to take your post more seriously if it wasn't dripping with condescension and snark. Also, those small LAC often award scholarships and financial aid in excess of what's offered at a state school. Not saying it's the right choice for everyone, but your tone isn't helpful.

+1

+2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was his tuition at that small (presumably private) liberal arts college? With enough money, the worst student can go to college. I am thrilled your nephew did well and that the school was a good fit. I was also an average student who blossomed in college. However, most people don't have the $100k to send their average kid to a school like that. Just because a kid is accepted, doesn't mean he should go there. Even if it's a great school it's a mistake to go into that much debt or allow your kid to go into deep debt to attend the expensive private school.

Don't know how recently you've looked at prices of small private liberal arts colleges in the Midwest!!

You'll need about $250K to send your little snowflake to one of those charming colleges! $100K will pay for a year and a little more.

WOw - who pissed in your cheerios this morning?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was his tuition at that small (presumably private) liberal arts college? With enough money, the worst student can go to college. I am thrilled your nephew did well and that the school was a good fit. I was also an average student who blossomed in college. However, most people don't have the $100k to send their average kid to a school like that. Just because a kid is accepted, doesn't mean he should go there. Even if it's a great school it's a mistake to go into that much debt or allow your kid to go into deep debt to attend the expensive private school.

Don't know how recently you've looked at prices of small private liberal arts colleges in the Midwest!!

You'll need about $250K to send your little snowflake to one of those charming colleges! $100K will pay for a year and a little more.

Do your homework. Many or perhaps even most of them give merit aid to solid students. Not just to exceptional students, but solid ones too.

Our DC is at a small private school in the Midwest. The sticker price is $61K/year at this time, and we pay $32K/year thanks to DC's merit aid award. We do not qualify for financial aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was his tuition at that small (presumably private) liberal arts college? With enough money, the worst student can go to college. I am thrilled your nephew did well and that the school was a good fit. I was also an average student who blossomed in college. However, most people don't have the $100k to send their average kid to a school like that. Just because a kid is accepted, doesn't mean he should go there. Even if it's a great school it's a mistake to go into that much debt or allow your kid to go into deep debt to attend the expensive private school.

Don't know how recently you've looked at prices of small private liberal arts colleges in the Midwest!!

You'll need about $250K to send your little snowflake to one of those charming colleges! $100K will pay for a year and a little more.

WOw - who pissed in your cheerios this morning?

Lol- clearly it was a snowflake!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was his tuition at that small (presumably private) liberal arts college? With enough money, the worst student can go to college. I am thrilled your nephew did well and that the school was a good fit. I was also an average student who blossomed in college. However, most people don't have the $100k to send their average kid to a school like that. Just because a kid is accepted, doesn't mean he should go there. Even if it's a great school it's a mistake to go into that much debt or allow your kid to go into deep debt to attend the expensive private school.

Don't know how recently you've looked at prices of small private liberal arts colleges in the Midwest!!

You'll need about $250K to send your little snowflake to one of those charming colleges! $100K will pay for a year and a little more.

I'd be able to take your post more seriously if it wasn't dripping with condescension and snark. Also, those small LAC often award scholarships and financial aid in excess of what's offered at a state school. Not saying it's the right choice for everyone, but your tone isn't helpful.

Geeze, calm yourself. It was neither condescension nor snark! If anything I'm appalled at the OUTRAGEOUS COST of these cute little schools!! They ought to cost $25k per year, tops! PP's assumption was correct, but she was about 20 years out of date. And BTW, I'd love to send my kids to one of these schools, but I can't afford it. Even with merit aid. The price of private schools is completely out of control. I predict many of these smaller colleges will go out of business. The Ivies can raise their prices as high as they want, they'll always have people fighting for places, but small, less competitive LACs are already scrambling to find enough kids to fill their seats, which is why many offer large merit aid packages. But even with merit aid, these schools are $10K to $20K more expensive than in-state tuition at a public university. If you've got the cash, you can send your B or even C student to one of these colleges. I don't and can't.

The PP is correct. DS goes to Grinnell and tuition is due next week. I will sit at the computer and transfer 25K for this semester and we will pay another 25K in December. This is after his 12K 'merit' award. So, to the PP's point, not everyone can, or will, stroke off 50K cash a year so snowflake can go to Grinnell which provides plenty of opportunities to sit around discussing the evils of corporate wealth and consumerism while being funded by wealthy parents who can afford the outrageous price tag.

[Anonymous]

I think of some of the SLACs as officers' quarters for the reserve army of the unemployed.

[Anonymous]

So can a student who qualifies for FA also receive merit aid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So can a student who qualifies for FA also receive merit aid?

Yes, however the merit aid will be factored into the calculation of expected family contribution to determine need.